Real progress is spiritual, a state of eternal unfoldment; and for Mind's infinite ideas there is infinite progression. This is so because there is no beginning or ending to the impartations of infinite Love and their everlasting unfoldment in man and the universe. For this reason the Christian Scientist, while at all times grateful for evidences of his advancing understanding, should beware of limiting his conception of progress to improvement in outward circumstances, in health, opportunity, or even in character. Spiritually understood, progress does not consist in the emergence from error into truth, for the unreal cannot become real, the evil good, or the material spiritual. Progress cannot be gauged or understood from a negative starting point. "A progressive life," our Leader writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 117), "is the reality of Life that unfolds its immortal Principle." In God's infinite image progress and unfoldment are unceasing.

What bearing has this glorious fact on the growth of the Christian Scientist? It has this bearing. Accepting Life and the omnipotence of immortal Principle as the basis of man's being, the student of Christian Science refutes the lie that material handicaps of birth, culture, environment, or opportunity can delay or curtail his spiritual progress. If he loyally and without equivocation accepts the scientific fact that progress is spiritual, he will, in deference to the divine influence of Christ, Truth, in his consciousness, surrender his personal belief in limitation or handicap, past or present. This will lead him on to the heights of divine Mind wherein all is, always has been, and always will be spiritual, pure, and holy.

Thrusting aside the deterrents of pride, doubt, shame, the student will turn for enlightenment to divine Principle with all his timid fears, his questionings, and will rejoice in its assurance that all that is real is now and everlastingly perfect. Holding open his consciousness to the heaven of spiritual progress, the student notes with encouragement the falling away of disease and discord, false traits and indulgences, and the appearing and evidence of his true identity as God's image. Spiritual man is fully conscious of his divine identity and is expressing it.

When tempted to measure progress according to promotion in business, income, emolument, human authority—the world's standard and not the spiritual standard—the Christian Scientist will do his best to subordinate these lesser considerations to his need for promotion and his right to promotion by Truth in true thinking and true living. This attitude is one's defense against either dejection or elation, against human satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Fear of lack or of retrogression has no place in the measureless heritage of spiritual man, Mind's witness. As Truth displaces in human thought the errors of belief which formerly were objectified in lack of one kind or another, it is natural that supply should be made manifest according to the human need in token of Love's everlasting provision for all creation—even as it was in the days of Jesus. As one acknowledges that there is no limitation in cause or in effect, in God or in man, human consciousness is relieved of its tenseness, and reliance on the Father-Mother God calls forth the childlike, intelligent, trustful attitude, so evident in Jesus throughout his ministry among men.

Mrs. Eddy speaks of "the spiritual idea of Life, with its abounding, increasing, advancing footsteps of progress, primeval faith, hope, love" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 139). When things on which he had depended seem for a time to be falling away, the Christian Scientist reaches out for the substance of divine intelligence, for deeper loyalty to divine Principle, for more "faith, hope, love," and as, in this righteous effort, he is sure of success, he will not be stampeded by the contagion of the times, but will gain a deeper sense of security and a larger sense both of divine Love and of brotherly love. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men." Here is increase which all can manifest. In the simplest home, in the factory, on the streets, each one is free to feel and express the presence of impartial, divine, infinite Love "toward all men"—and this is true wealth, true progress. Are we growing in Godlikeness?

Interpreting a verse in Genesis, "And the evening and the morning were the fourth day," our Leader writes (Science and Health, p. 511), "The changing glow and full effulgence of God's infinite ideas, images, mark the periods of progress." In this "changing glow" there is neither monotony, stagnation, nor depression. In this "full effulgence," this radiance of spiritual understanding and reflection, there is dominion and the demonstration of Mind's own power and wisdom. Demonstration, then, is not an outward event or appearing; it is wrought in and by divine Mind through its own perpetual unfoldment and manifestation. True consciousness is manifested not in lack but in supply, for God's likeness is habitually receptive, responsive, fully conscious of Mind's infinite provision and expressing its individual measure of reflection throughout eternity.

Violet Ker Seymer